The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-11-05

wits end. Head Office authorities would
almost certainly hear OF nay dlshonored
checks, and would certainly lose my
billet, and might possibly be arrested.
And then came the arch-iend to tempt
me. Could l not borrow the money [
wanted from some rich customer OF
the bank, and that without his sane
ton? 1t would be a very simple mat
ter, only it had an ugly name. Forgery I!
But it seemed my only hope, and in
desperation L resolved to try 1t. Clos
ing my bedroom window, L de-
scended the rooms below and en-
tered the banking apartments. For
the first time in my residence there
entered the room in trepidatlon. My
very footsteps On the mating fright
ened me. A deathly stiffness hung
around. and peeped under desks and
tables, IS if half expecting to see de-
tective. When at length | opened The
large safe and proceeded with my devil
ish business, | felt like man Ill with
ague. Igot bundle of old paid checks
oIt to select signature from. l found
the verg one. Old -. large buyer Of
tallow and hides, had always con-
siderable current account balance,
rarely asked for his pass book. and his
autograph was simplicity itself. With
the aid of a little tracing paper the
business was soon effected. Pay self
or bearer $780, The signature and
whole cheek looked so thoroughly gen
uipe that am sure John himself would
have been staggered by it.
To COMPLETE MY WORK
the forgery would have to represent a
debit in Saturdays work and pear, of
course, in the cash book and ledger.
| had left the bank in such
a hurry on Saturday lin order to
reach the course early) that I had not
balanced up my BOOKS, so the en- ries
were soon made and the cash in my
pocket. The next day I paid my gam
bling debts and felt, comparatively
speaking, relieved. But l was not long
to remain in that blissful state. The
following Wednesday old - came in
and asked for his pass-book. The fat
was then in the fire, and you can guess
the rest. Ny friends, to save me from
prison, came forward and paid the
amount. and | was thus saved from
With ESQ in my pocket
started out to retrirve myself, but every
effort has landed me in lower grade
than before | have been everything
a travelling Snowman, clown in cir
Gus, general utility man in dime
theatre, sailor, a grape-picker, ard a
hop pic ker with Cinnamon, until here
am, at last, ready to do anything to
earn enough to get something to eat.
The reporter left him his address, |
promising to do what he could tor him, |
at the same time giving him all tie |
money he had with him, which, as the |
class are not burdened with a super |
fluffy of cash, did not run into double |
figures-and came away moralizing, !
Things are seldom what they SEEM"
THE FOREGOING FACTS
were forcibly recalled to the reporters
mind few weeks ago when, on reach
ing the Office, he found a man waiting
to see him. THE man you gave this
to, handing the reporter the card he
had given the stranger at North Beach,
wants you to come and see him; he is
very sick" The messenger was such
looking tramp himself that
for moment the reporter hesitated,
but concluded to follow out the adven-
tarT The tramp messenger soon led
his companion through the Plaza and
up into Chinatown, where, diving into
q noisome alley reeking with filth, Gel
lar was reached. We sleeps here O.
nights, said the tramp. grinning at the
reporter, who rather held back. eve
get bunk from the Cinnamon for a
nickel, ami it's good enough for us
Come on" So saying. he climbed
down into the pit, followed by
the reporter. Down three Shiny lad
ders thay went, huge, gaunt and gray
rat- sburrying away at their approach.
we calls tnls paradise" the tramp ex-
planned, as he kicked with his toeless
boot VicioUsIy at & hungry rodent.
Picking up az empty coal oil lamp, the
guide hurried along a filthy passage
and into filthy room, There on a
bunk. with no yestige of bedding, the
reporter found the stranger-dead
With the assistance OF faw friends,
the scribe was enabled to save the
stranger from interment in the Potter's
field. By an outgoing mail the reporter
forwarded to Australia letter found
On the corpse, and another letter telling
Of the strangers death. By the lea
india last Friday, areply was received,
,heukipg the reporter and his friends in
he most touching manner for what
hey had done, and enclosing a draft
many times in excess of the expenses
incurred by the funeral.